GA Meeting Minutes • Occupy Eugene General Assembly Minutes from 12-7-15

In Solidarity with #Occupywallstreet Occupy Eugene General Assembly Minutes from December 7th, 2015

Note taker: John
Facilitator: Art, then Jan

Agenda

1) Introductions

2) Committee Reports

3) Kesey Square

4) Peg Morton

5) SURJ

6) MLK Day

10-11 People present

Introductions

Committee Reports —

Newsletter — Ralph has disappeared without completing the newsletter. Beatrice may be taking over the layout of the newsletter.

Library Committee — Lots of books are available for another sale at the CALC Peace Center.

Finance Committee — Finances are in good shape

Kesey Square:

Propose that Occupy Eugene have an official position against the sale of Kesey Square.

No more privatization of public space. Expand public space. Re-use old LCC building?

John submitted a formal request to the moderator at his table at the downtown public spaces discussion at LCC to hear back from the city about what’s up with Saturday Market vs Alley Valkarie court decision about sidewalk vendors being permitted to sell stuff in public places. This was after hearing the city spokeswoman give an impassioned speech that said that anti-loitering laws were unconstitutional and that it was city policy that asking for money on public sidewalks is protected free speech. He doesn’t expect to hear back from the city anytime soon.

The proposed downtown smoking ban is a bad idea, even though smoking negatively impacts people’s health.

In the 1980′s downtown Eugene was upgraded by out of town developers buying up property downtown? Working class locals (who look like homeless people) are being pushed out.

The $300K allocated for a public shelter was reallocated for an animal shelter.

The LCC gathering was a distraction to divert attention from the Kesey Square sale.

They are not even considering public use proposals for Kesey Square.

Closing of the sale may happen before the end of 2015.

Should we call a second GA for this month to discuss Kesey Square? All that is required is to have one person call for a meeting. If 15 or more people show up, then it is a GA.

Various excuses (related to mismanagement) have been presented as to why Kesey Square should be sold.

Should we also have a petition?

Create an online survey?

Should public spaces be managed by private groups such as Saturday Market?

Human decency?

Don’t involve Move-On since Occupy is non-partisan.

Art and one other person — Will write up a statement to distribute about the next meeting.

Identify which city council members do not support privatization.
Geroge Brown
Taylor
and one other.

Tactic — Pressure proposed developers with direct action such as leafleting in front of their places of business.

Jan is now taking over the facilitator role for this meeting.

Peg Morton:

85 year old woman activist has publicly stated that she is going to commit suicide. She is not terminally ill, nor diagnosed with a terminal illness. She may be depressed. How can people say they support her on this journey?

Occupy Eugene should not be dictating how people relate to the Universe?

Peg is a vital part of the movement, went to School Of The Americas (SOA) protests, etc. She is the most steadfast activist that Jack Dresser has ever known. She may be in despair about how many people sell out.

People who say they support her should join her in her fast (to the death?).

If she is depressed, she needs to be evaluated by a professional.

Was this out of place for Occupy Eugene to deal with? We aren’t in a position to say anything about it.

Peg’s memorial blog may be accessed by signing up at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/pegmorton

SURJ: Showing Up For Racial Justice

They put on an Angela Davis and Tim Wise film a few weeks ago.

They specifically don’t look at international issues to try to overcome racism. When Fergus questioned them on why they don’t deal with international issues at one of their private meetings, he was thrown out of the meeting(!).

The purpose of the group appears to be to undermine BDS [Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions of Israel because of their human rights violations in Gaza and the West Bank] (because of lack of international solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement which has recently called for solidarity with Palestinians).

The whole whiteness concept that the group membership is based on (white people’s group) proceeds from a false premise that white people are a separate and identifiable group from people of color.

Why not form an ANSWER chapter instead?

At the local SURJ chapter’s first protest at the old Federal building they did manage to draw a predominantly African American crowd, for at least the first people who showed up were mostly African American.

The Angela Davis/Tim Wise film said to connect the global with the local, but this local SURJ group refuses to do international work.

Looking at the national group’s web site, it is not clear that the national group is anti-BDS, but it is clear that the local chapter at least is definitely anti-BDS.

MLK Day:

Should Occupy Eugene participate?

The MLK assassination was proven in court to be a conspiracy. We should address why MLK was killed. A slot for a 2 minute video to be shown at the Shed will be available for a fee of $100.

Global Research has a good article on it. Jim Douglass was the only journalist to attend the civil trial in 1999. He wrote about it later.

If you have a topic to discuss, call a special meeting.

Office:

The office will need more funding to be sustainable. Needs $104 per month, currently split between Occupy Eugene and (Anon). (Anon) may discontinue her funding of her portion of the rent. Ask the Grower’s manager if there are any orgs looking for an office space for only $52 per month.

Announcements:

January 20th, 7PM room 110 at UO Law School there will be a discussion of among other things building awareness of community trauma.

Meeting adjourned at 8PM.

Statistics: Posted by pagesincolor — Tue Dec 08, 2015 12:12 pm — Replies 0 — Views 1

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Source: https://occupyeugenemedia.org/discussion/viewtopic.php?t=1566&p=3342#p3342